Annealing-furnace.



www4.

C. F. KENWORTHY ANNEALING FURNACE.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 28, 1914.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET]- oms man mc Y L'mm.. Mmmm. nV c.

van-hoz C. F. KENWORIHY.

ANNEALING FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2s, I9I4.

Lg. Patented Jan. 25,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N FI w '6. F. KENWOHTHY.

ANNEALING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, I9I4.

1,169,494, PfIIenIed'JafI. 25, 1916.

3 swam-SHEET 3.

WMA/woo@ 45 20 z5 mams Pnrns. mcf, Lum., wnswmonm, n. c

narran s'riafrns rarer@ onirica.

CHARLES' F. KENWORTHY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ANNEALING-FURNACE.

Application led September 28, 1914.

T 0 all idiom it may concern:

Be it known that I. CHARLES F. KEN- wonTHY. a citizen of the United States. re-

siding at Vaterbury. in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annealing-Furnaces. of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates .to a new and improved annealing furnace. and has for its object. among other things, to provide a furnace within which to anneal non-ferrous metals bright or free from oxidation; to so arrange the parts that the furnace may be easily and quickly loaded and unloaded; and to provide mechanism whereby the pyroineter thermo-couple may be placed so that the exact temperature of the'annealing chamber, and the metals therein, may be accurately determined.

Tothese and other ends. my invention consists in the annealing furnace. having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings. in which like numerals of reference designate like paits tional side elevation of one form of mv improved invention. taken upon lineY C-D'v of Fig. 2: Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, taken upon line -B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the exhaust and suction valve mechanism; Fig. at is an enlarged plan view of the elevator mechanism; and Fig. 5 isv a fragmentary elevation thereof.

My improved furnace may be fired either with coal. coke, oil. or any' other means, or bv fuel from a gas producer which may be located adjacent to the annealing furnace 0r at a distant point, whichever may seem the most desirable under the circumstances, and the arrangement of the parts, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and vset forth in the following description, are only for the purpose of illust ating the general form of my invention, and its method of application.

In the.drawings, the numeral l designates one. form of a gas producer, and 2 the furnace or retort. in which is an annealing chamber 3 that is entirely surrounded by a. chamber 4, within which the products of Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Jan. 25, 19.16.

serial No. 863,811.

combustion circulate, the same being admitted thereto through the port connected with the gas producer. Concentric with the chamber 3 is a similar chamber 6, which is connected with the port 5 at the throat 7, and with 'the open air through the port As the products of combustion from the gas producer pass through the port 5. the air in the chamber 6 that is admitted through the port 8 is heated and passes through the throat T and mingles with the products of combustion in the port and then circulates within the chainbei` l, heat ing the annealing chamber and escaping y into the open air through the port 9.

The.v4 furnace or retort 2 is fixed to the platform 10, which in turn is supported upon the upper end of the sealing tank 11,

into which projects the flange .12. preferably integral with the platform 10 and flaring" outwardly from the bottom of the annealing chamber 3 into the liquid within saidsealing tank 11. the normal top surface of which is indicated by the-broken line 13.

Surrounding the plate 10, and also supported upon the top of the sealing tank 11, is the grate bar platform 1l, upon which the operator stands. and providinga convenient place vfor the work'both before and after the annealing operation. Fixed against rotation in the foot block 15 at the: bottom of the sealing tank, and the head block 1G, connected with the top of the furnace. is a piston rod 1T. having an opening 18 through the end thereof, which connects the port 19 that opens through one side of said piston.

The elevator platform consists essentially. of a lower cylinder head :20. an upper cylinder head 21. between which lis the cylinder 22. and each having the usual' packing glands Q3. connected therewith. a

piston head 2l. fixed to the piston rod 17 by the pin plat-form arms 26 connected l with the lower cvlinder head Q0, Joined at low uprights 31, so as to lie substantiallyv parallel with the cylinder These pro- 'ide retaining means to hold the work in place on the platforms 'They may be utilized also for supporting a plurality of shelves 32. separated by the collars 33, if

' arms 35, which engage stop blocks 36 fixed tothe inside of the sealing tank 11 to limit the movement of the platforms about the .piston rod 17. When either of the stop arms-are 1n engagement with either of the st'pblocks one of the platforms is in register-.With the annealingchamber 3, and the other' platform with one of the openings 37, through the platform 14. Attached to the lower cylinder head isa bracket 38 carrying a friction-roll 39 that contacts with a plate 40 fixed withinthe sealing tank 11 or other convenient place, whenever either one -parts at this time being substantially as -of the platforms are in register with the annealing chamber 3.

lVhile one of the platforms 28 is being loaded, the other platformis within the annealing chamber, the general position of the shownv in Fig. 1.

The parts connected with the platform 28 project up through either one of the openings 37 in the grate bar platform 14, and after the annealing process is completed, the platform is lowered to the position substantially shown by broken vlines in` Fig. 1, at which time both the platforms 28 are within the liquid in the tank 11, and are moved about the axis of the pistonvso as to bring the platform last'taken from the annealing furnace into register with one vof the openings 36, at'which time the last loaded platform is brought into register with the annealingchamber. the stop arms 35 by their contact with the stop blocks 36 limiting` these movements. The platforms vare now elevated, during which time the friction roll 39 by 'its contact with the guide plate 40 (see Fig. 4) prevents the rotation of said platforms, and the platform ha l'ing thenewwork thereon is moved into the annealing chamber, and the otherplatform is elevated above the grate bar platform 14 through one of the openings 37, and is then unloaded and reloaded.

The ,guide plates 40 do not extend to the .bottom of the tank 11 (Fig. 1), sothat 'when the platforms. 28 are in their down position the'roll 39I is-below the bottom of said plates y 'and can be moved about the axis of the piston with the platform. When, however,

either one of the platforms is in line with the annealing chambenthe roll 39 is in line with either one. of the guide plates 40 and contacts therewith as soon as the platforms 'have moved upwardly a limited distance.

T he platforms are elevated by forcing wa- .tliereon, carries ter thiougl'i'V'theA opening -.18 and port 19 into the cylinder 22., the pressure of which isexerted against the upper cylinder head 21 and the platform raised. To lower the platform, the pressure uponthe water in the opening 1 8 is released Vand the weight of the platform forces the water in the opposite direct-ion throughthe port 19 and opening '18 by the contact of the head 21' with 'said water.

A. pyrometer thermo-couple, designated by the numeral 41, is placed within one of the hollow uprights 3l on each of the platforms 28 and'moves therewith into and out of the annealing chamber. The upright within which the pyrometer thermo-couple is inserted is connected with a pipe 42 by the'pipes 43. The pipe 42'is of suoli length as to project above the top of the grate bar platform 14 when' the platforms are in their down position; yThrough the pipes- 42 and 43 pass flexible lead wires (not shown), from the pyrometer located outside. of the furnace to the thermo-couple connected with each of the platforms 28. By reason of this arrangement of the thermo-couple Athe actual temperature of the metal within the annealing chamber is determinedand the flexible leads are kept -dry and out of the liquid within the. sealing tank 11. It lhas been found in practice that this method of mountthe life: thereof andvery much materially reduces the cost'of the annealing process.

As the annealing chamber vis 'entirely free from the products of combustion, bright metals are annealed free from fire or oxidaeach of which i's provided with a.. vaive 48, 'valve stems 49, springs 50, collar 51 and nuts V52. It will be observed, however, 4that the valves 48 operate at opposite ends of the valve bushings 47, the one connected with the radiating member 45- being upon the outside of the valve bushings 7 and the valve 48 connected with the' radiating member 45 upon the inside of the valve bushings 47.. If, when the loaded platform 1s 4being raised to the annealing chamber, it should be very wet, or, due to theshape of thework Lliquid 'with.it, the liquid evaporates very quickly'withinthe annealingchamber and passes ofi' through the lifting of the valve 48 connected with the radiating members 45.

When lowering the platform, after an -ing the thermo-couple adds materially to,

the liquid within the tank 11 to be drawnl up into ythe annealing chamber, and thus cause injury thereto. This is prevented, however,u by the valve 48 connected with the radiating member 46, which is pulled off its seat by the vacuum, which is thereby released. i

Fixed to the body portion 44 is a mirror frame, within which is a pane of glass 55 anda mirror or reflector 54. The latter is not essential, however, and may be arranged in a different position or angle if desired.

The object of this reflector and pane of glass is to provide means for observing the interior of the annealing chamber and the conditions as presentedtherein through the opening 56 in the mirror frame 53. v

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within my invention, aside from those herein suggested, and I would therefore have it understood, that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but claim all that falls fairly within the spirit and scope of my invention.y

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

A l.l In a device of the character described,

the combination with an annealing lchamber; means for heating the same without admitting the products of combustion thereto;

` means for automatically freeing said chamber from steam or liquid comprising a valve held on its seat by means that will withstand a -predetermined pressure; and means for breaking a vacuum if formed therein comprising a valve similar to the one above referred to, but operating in the opposite direction.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with an annealing chamber; of'a liquid tank beneath said annealing chamber; means for loading and unloading said annealing chamber, said means comprising a plurality of platforms; means for operating said platforms, whereby the same may be moved in a line substantiallv Darallel with said annealing chamber and in a path at substantially a right angle thereto, a por-# tion of said means being upon the outside of said annealing chamber and substantially parallel therewith.

3. In a device of the. character described, the combination With an annealing chamber; of a liquid tank beneath said annealing chamber; means for loading and unloading said annealing chamber,'said means com prising a'movable cylinder, a fixed piston, a piston head on said piston and Within said cylinder, a plurality of platforms connected with said cylinder at one end; means for 'limiting the rotary movement of said plat forms about said piston; and means for pre venting the rotation of said platforms about said piston when the same are being moved in a direction substantially parallel there- With. v

4. In a device of the characterA described, the combination With an annealing'chamber; of a liquid tank beneath said annealing chamber; means for loading and unloading said annealing chamber, said means comprising a plurality of platforms having a iixed relation to each other; means for operating said platforms, whereby the same may be moved as a unit in a line substantially parallel with said'annealing chamber, and in a path at substantially a right angle thereto; and means for securing a pyrometer thermocouple to each of said platforms and protecting the leads thereto from contact with the liquid in said tank during the movement of said platforms.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with an annealingchamber; of a liquid tank beneath said annealing chamber; means for loading and unloading said annealing chamber, said means comprising a platform; means for operating the 95 same; apyrometer thermo-couple and means for securing the same to said platform and protecting the leads thereto from contact with the liquid in said tank during the movement of said platform.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

CHARLES F. KENIITORTHY. W'itnesses:

Gnoncn E. HALL, FLORENCE H. MONK. 

